Ravens playing hard under new head coach Christine Grenache

Senior Nicole Pratt went 2-for-4 with a run scored versus No. 23 Augustana on Tuesday.

CLERMONT, Fla. (March 21, 2012) -- The Franklin Pierce University softball team battled hard in pair of doubleheaders on Tuesday and Wednesday, but came up short in each contest, which were held at the National Training Center in Clermont, Fla. On Tuesday, the Ravens fell to Hillsdale, 7-5, in the day's first game and then dropped a 6-2 decision to No. 23 nationally ranked Augustana (S.D.) in the second game. On Wednesday, Franklin Pierce dropped a doubleheader to NYIT, 4-2 in game one, and 2-0 in game two.

Franklin Pierce pushed a run across in the third inning to opening the scoring against Hillsdale as senior Meaghan O'Neal (Littleton, Mass.) drew a bases loaded walk to force in a run. The Ravens added three more runs in the fifth inning, with the highlight being a two-run double to right center by senior Jamie Verner (Natick, Mass.).

Hillsdale, however, batted through the order in the sixth inning and plated six runs to take control of the game and earn the victory. Freshman hurler Jessica Colson (Feeding Hills, Mass.) got the start in the circle and worked five innings, but did not factor in the decision. She had a strong outing by not allowing a run and surrendering just three hits. Senior outfielder Jayme Bilafer (Concord, Mass.) went 1-for-2 with two walks and two runs scored for the Ravens.

In the day's second game versus Augustana, freshman pitcher Kaitlyn Johnson (New Boston, N.H.) was the highlight for the Ravens as she pitched a complete game, which marked the second time in her first four outings this season she turned the trick. Despite the solid outing, she was saddled with the loss to fall to 2-2. Johnson yielded six hits with four strikeouts and three walks.

Augustana took control of the game as it pushed a pair of runs across in both the first and second innings to take a 4-0 lead. The Ravens, though, responded with two runs in the top of the fifth as junior Jessica Furtado (Taunton, Mass.) doubled in Bilafer and senior Nicole Pratt (Gardner, Mass.). Franklin Pierce battled hard against the nationall-ranked foe, but could not get any closer as Augustana tacked on a run in both the fifth and sixth innings to earn the narrow victory. Pratt had a solid game at the dish for the Ravens as she went 2-for-4.

On Wednesday versus NYIT, Franklin Pierce scored the first run of game one as sophomore Ashley Noke (Cumberland, R.I.) crossed home plate following an error by the Bears shortstop in the second inning. NYIT, though, answered with three runs in the bottom of the second to go up 3-1, but the Ravens got a run back in the third when sophomore Jamie Wiley (Cape Vincent, N.Y.) drew a bases loaded walk to bring in freshman Karissa Forzese (Methuen, Mass.), who doubled to right center earlier in the frame. NYIT had another answer as the Bears scored once in the bottom of the inning to cap the scoring and seal the win.

Johnson got the start in the circle and suffered the loss after going 4.0 innings and yielding four runs (3 earned). Colson came on in relief and pitched two scoreless innings.

Junior pitcher Rachel Allen (Hull, Mass.) took to the circle in game two and produced a solid outing by pitching a complete game. NYIT, however, was able to solve Allen with a run in both the fifth and sixth innings to earn the victory. Bilafer went 3-for-4 with three singles to lead the Ravens offensive attack.

Franklin Pierce returns to action Thursday when the Ravens cap their spring break trip to Florida by taking on Sioux Falls in a doubleheader beginning at 9 a.m.

For more information on Franklin Pierce softball, please visit the team's page at athletics.franklinpierce.edu(.) To follow the program even further, please visit Franklin Pierce Athletics on YouTube (www.youtube.com/FranklinPierceSports), Twitter (www.twitter.com/FPUathletics) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens).